HSE statistics

The HSE carries out a number of surveys of occupational ill-health, ranging from occupational disease surveillance schemes to questionnaires. These surveys consistently show that stress is the one of the most widespread occupational health problems in the UK. The HSE’s preferred source for calculating rates and estimates for stress, depression or anxiety, is the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey (LFS).

It also collected data on work-related stress through the voluntary reporting of occupational diseases by GPs (the THOR-GP) scheme and the Psychosocial working conditions in Britain survey, which was conducted annually between 2004 and 2010 and measures elements of the HSE’s Stress Management Standards (see page 42). The latest estimates from the LFS show that:

• in 2011-12 there were 428,000 cases of work-related stress (40%) out of a total of 1,073,000 cases for all work-related illnesses;

• the industries that reported the highest levels were health and social work, education and public administration and defence;

• the occupations most affected were health professionals (in particular nurses), teaching and educational professionals and those working in caring personal services (in particular welfare and housing officers); and

• the main work activities reported as causing work-related stress, or making it worse, were work pressure, lack of managerial support and work-related violence and bullying.

www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress/stress.pdf